IORA Workshop to Strengthen Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Indian Ocean - Preparations for the Ministerial Conference and Working Group

Recognizing that providing greater opportunities for the economic participation of women stimulates economic growth and leads to sustainable development, IORA Member States are committed to gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.

This year, IORA looks forward to implement significant initiatives such as a Ministerial Conference in July 2018 and the establishment of a Working Group on Women’s Economic Empowerment in collaboration with the Mauritian Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare.

This includes a preparatory workshop which will be attended by Senior Officials and the Ministerial Conference, a high-level segment in which Ministers exchange views, consolidate regional cooperation and endorse the launch the Working Group, to be held later this year on 19-20 July, 2018 in Mauritius.

On 3 – 4 May 2018, there will be a Workshop to Strengthen Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Indian Ocean – Preparations for the Ministerial Conference and Working Group in Mauritius.

This seeks to:

• Assemble senior gender officials to prepare for the IORA Conference on Women’s Economic Empowerment and the Working Group on Women’s Empowerment to be held in July 2018.
• Identify and share commonalities and capacity building in IORA countries in the field of economic empowerment of women and support the implementation of the IORA Action Plan for 2017-21.
• Contribute to gender equity and equality in the IORA region and to integrate women’s economic issues in IORA’s priority and focus areas as a cross-cutting issue at the heart of sustainable development.
• Explore linkages and possible cooperation with international organisations and technical partners, such as UN Women, International Trade Centre and other key stakeholders in research and initiatives to improve women’s abilities to contribute as entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders.
• Engage with the business community and chambers of commerce to develop recommendations on the format and structure of the proposed IORA Women’s Business Forum and promotion of the Women’s Empowerment Principles.